


I'm a Mess

by haaaveyoumetted



Category: The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Character Death, M/M, Tumblr Prompt, glade gift exchange, minho and gally work at a bar, newt is a model
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-21
Updated: 2014-07-21
Packaged: 2018-02-09 18:21:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1993065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haaaveyoumetted/pseuds/haaaveyoumetted
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>for the <a href="http://gladegiftexchange.tumblr.com/">Glade Gift Exchange</a><br/>Gally feels like his life is headed absolutely nowhere, and his father just loves to remind him of the fact that he's right. The day Gally meets Newt, he tries to see him as just another airhead model and client he has to deal with for his father's sake; accept he's not. He never expected to meet a boy that would completely change the course of his life- but that's exactly what happened.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm a Mess

**Author's Note:**

> listen to the [fanmix](http://8tracks.com/righteouspumpernickel/i-m-a-mess).

Gally sighed, swirling his finger absent-mindedly around the rim of the glass sitting on the bar in front of him. He had lost count almost an hour ago, realizing bitterly that he had no reason to care about keeping track of his alcohol intake anymore. University had chewed him up and spit him out in less than a semester, all of his plans for the future crashing and burning right along with any hopes of bettering himself through an academic avenue.  
  
His usual bout of moping was interrupted as the shrill ringing of his cell phone alerted from deep in his pocket. After an unwarranted amount of struggle, he managed to fumble it out of his pocket and immediately groaned in dread at the name lighting up the screen, almost taunting him in a way that inanimate objects shouldn’t be able to accomplish.  
  
“What did I do this time?”, he offered in greeting, resting his head in the palm of his hand, awaiting the inevitable lecture he was sure to receive.  
  
“Surprisingly son, not anything this time- at least, not anything that I know about”, his father replied, the judgmental tone in his voice apparent. “I called because I need you to help me work the convention on Saturday.”  
  
Gally scoffed, “You’re joking, right?”, he replied before taking a large swig of his beer.  
  
He heard his father sigh. “No Gally, I’m not joking. I need you to be down at the convention center by 8AM to help set up some of the runways, and then I’m going to need you to stick around for some security and possibly crowd control.”  
  
Gally shook his head, completely aware that his father was unable to see him. “Look dad, you know that the whole….fashion thing isn’t my…thing”, he winced at his inability to come up with a better excuse, especially since that particular excuse had never actually gotten him out of doing these events.  
  
“Well maybe if you actually had a “thing”, you would be busy that day and have an actual excuse not to be there”, his father chastised.  
  
Gally winced at the verbal jab, refusing to outwardly admit that he knew his father was right. “Fine, I’ll be there at 8. Do I need to bring anything or, I don’t know, dress a certain way?”, he asked, regretting the questions as soon as he spoke them.  
  
“Just make sure you dress nicely- no jeans and a t-shirt nonsense”, his dad replied.  
  
Groaning inwardly at the fact that he was going to have to dig out one of the few nice button-up shirts that he owned, as well as a blazer and some nice trousers, he had to bite his tongue to keep from making a smart remark that would only land him deeper into the hole he was digging himself into.  
  
After hanging up with his father, he decided to call it a night, closing out his tab and walking a block down to his dingy apartment. He was relieved but not surprised to find his roommate absent when he arrived, unceremoniously face planting onto the couch, falling into a restless sleep almost immediately.  
  
Friday came and went without much happening. Work was uneventful, as daytime shifts at the bar tended to be, leaving him feeling restless as there was nothing to distract him from his thoughts of spending his entire Saturday at a fashion convention. If nothing else, he needed to find his “thing” so that he could actually tell his father that he could no longer help him out.  
  
~  
  
Gally woke with a jolt the next morning, glaring daggers at his alarm and slumping back onto the bed, pulling his pillow over his head.  
  
“Why is this my life?”, he groaned, his voice muffled by the pillow pressed against his face.  
  
Reluctantly he untangled himself from the bed sheets, and trudged over to his closet. Running a hand over his face tiredly, he pulled a random assortment of garments off of their hangers and shuffled half-awake across the hall to the bathroom.  
  
Showering took him less than ten minutes, giving him plenty of time to get [dressed](http://us.cdn001.fansshare.com/photos/willpoulter/full-will-poulter-1741340183.jpg) and scowl at his reflection, before burning some toast and hurrying out the door.  
  
The convention center wasn’t far from his flat, which didn’t particularly help with his attempts to get out of attending these events. Far too soon, he was standing directly in front of the building, the tall, somewhat menacingly large structure looming over him in a mocking fashion, as much as an insentient object could be. He entered through a set of doors at the side of the building, nodding his greetings to the security and staff he become familiar with over the years as he made his way down a set of hallways and into the main conference room where he knew his father would be waiting.  
  
What he was completely not expecting was to walk in on his father orchestrating some sort of private photo shoot. Begrudgingly, he walked further into the room. The first thing he noticed was the ridiculous motorcycle the model was sitting on. His eyes trailed upward, taking in the dark jeans, accounting for the helmet in the person’s hand, and up the lean but toned arms, left exposed by the sleeveless shirt and finally up to the boy’s [face](http://oi47.tinypic.com/j96ame.jpg). His skin was particularly pale- not that he could really judge anyone in that department- and his hair was almost a dirty blond color, except it was a touch darker. He found himself wanting to run his fingers through it, for purely scientific reasons, of course. It couldn’t possibly be as soft as it looked…  
  
Gally felt his throat tightening as someone walked over to help the boy remove his shirt, handing him a [leather jacket](http://oi48.tinypic.com/14j7z7m.jpg%E2%80%9D) in its place, and instructing him to not actually put it on. They were clearly trying to kill all of the spectators in the room by leaving the boy shirtless. He allowed his eyes to linger for a few more minutes before shaking himself out of it. These model types were all the same, and he knew he would never hear the end of it if his father caught him staring.  
  
“Ah, there you are. Right on time”, his father said in greeting, walking over to meet him halfway. “What I’m going to need you to do is work personal security- shadowing basically- for Newt here.”  
  
Gally paused before replying, trying to compose himself and organize his thoughts before he completely gave himself away. “Seriously? You need me here all day, to follow some model around? Doesn’t he have his own team for that or something?”  
  
His father leveled him with a very unimpressed expression. “Gally, I really need you to do this. He’s an important client, one that we need to come back. You’re the only one that I trust enough for this job.”  
  
He felt his defenses lowering almost instantly, despite his internal struggle not to give in quite so easily. “Fine”, Gally agreed with a sigh. “Is there anything specific I need to know about this one?” He had shadowed for models before, and his experienced ranged from absolutely nightmares to surprisingly tolerable.  
  
“Lucky for you, this one is low maintenance and he’s actually got a bit of a brain going for him as well. Maybe you’ll actually get some companionship out of this one”, he dad replied.  
  
Gally scoffed, doubting that he could ever be lucky enough to shadow for a model that he got on with. His father excused himself and approached Newt, talking to him briefly before they both made their way over to where Gally was still standing.  
  
“Newt, this is the gentleman that will be your shadow for the day. He’s been working with the convention for a number of years now. There’s no doubt you’ll be in good hands, I assure you.”  
  
He raised an eyebrow appraisingly, subtly glancing up and down Gally’s tall frame before replying. “I don’t believe I caught a name?”  
  
“Gally. This is my father, he thinks it’s fun to guilt me into showing up every year and making me follow models around because there’s nothing that I would rather not be doing with my weekend”, Gally replied, trying his hardest not to be completely rude. He had learned it was never helpful to start off the day like that.  
  
“Is that so?” Newt replied, a hint of amusement appearing in his voice as he fought against a smile. “Well, this should be at the very least a rather interesting day.”  
  
If he wasn’t so god damn entranced by the kid’s accent, and his face, he probably would’ve been tempted to punch him out; the nerve he had, smirking at him and being all- intrigued.  
  
“The exhibition hall doesn’t open to the public for another hour or so, let’s go have a take about the room, shall we?” Newt suggested, turning to Gally, seemingly expecting some sort of resistance.  
  
Gally was extremely tempted to give it to him. “As you wish”, he replied, accenting the sarcastic remark with an exaggerated bow. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his father covering his face with his hands, and Newt’s eyes lighting up mischievously.  
  
It was most certainly going to be an interesting day.  
  
~  
  
At first, the pair walked through the aisles in companionable silence. Gally didn’t feel the need to makes sarcastic remarks about the ridiculous displays they passed or complain about having to spend his weekend surrounded by it all. He couldn’t exactly say that he liked the guy, but something about Newt settled Gally, making him feel like he didn’t have to spend the entire day trying to piss him off so that he could leave early.  
  
“I can practically see the snarky comments you want to say floating in your eyes. You’re restraining yourself; why?” Newt asked, finally breaking the silence.  
  
Gally shrugged, purposely not turning his head to look at the other man. “You seem alright, compared to everyone else they stick me with. Somehow, my number one goal of the day is not to annoy you so thoroughly that you refuse to work with me again.”  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Gally could see Newt shaking his head, an amused expression on his face. “Should I feel special then?” he asked, clearly trying to be cheeky.  
“Don’t get ahead of yourself there, I didn’t say we were going to be best friends or anything”, Gally replied.  
  
Newt hummed in thought before replying. “I have a feeling we’re going to get along very well by the end of the day, and it’s going to do nothing but infuriate you, because you came in here with the notion not to like me in the slightest.”  
  
Gally scoffed. “You certainly aren’t lacking in the confidence department are you?”  
  
“It’s more foresight than confidence”, Newt corrected. “I know your type, and despite the fact that you detest the industry, you can’t resist a challenge.”  
  
Gally waited, expecting Newt to explain himself further, and found himself intrigued when the smaller man did not. Despite his best efforts, he had a feeling that Newt knew exactly what he was talking about.  
  
The rest of the day went by faster than Gally was prepared for and reluctantly he said his goodbyes, feeling strangely disappointed that this was the last time he would see the infuriatingly attractive male model he spent the day totally not staring at.  
  
~  
  
The following week seemed to pass by at a glacial pace, his mind betraying him by wandering back to the vast expanses of pale skin and deep brown eyes he had admired so closely. He hadn’t been this frustrated over actually being interested in another person in a very long time, as he had been hoping to avoid it all together, and his co-workers caught onto his sour mood very quickly, only making matters worse.  
  
“C’mon Gally, I know that you always show up and have a scowl on your face like you hate the world, but this is just a whole new level”, Minho observed, working on finishing the last load of washing glasses as he spoke.  
  
“Minho, just leave it alone”, Gally replied, letting out a sigh of frustration as he wiped down the bar.  
  
Minho stopped momentarily, turning to look at Gally and leaning up against the bar. After a few minutes of silence he spoke, “Look, I know that you really don’t like talking or people or anything even remotely related to that, but I’ve known you long enough to know that something is legitimately bothering you and you never let that happen. If you need to talk about it, just let me know.”  
  
Gally nodded in acknowledgement and they silently fell back into their routine.  
  
~  
  
Another week passed without much to discern one day from the next, and Friday night had Gally in the back room, rearranging and stocking the alcohol for the following weeks when Minho burst in, the door slamming back against the wall.  
  
“Gally! Gally you have a customer here, asking for you. Like they want you specifically to make their drinks!”, Minho exclaimed, confusion and excitement present on his face.  
  
“Me? There’s somebody at the bar…. Asking for me?”, Gally clarified, clearly just as confused but marginally less excited by the prospect.  
  
Minho nodded eagerly, stepping further into the room. “You go, I’ll take over back here”, he offered, practically shoving Gally through the doorway.  
  
Stumbling briefly, Gally righted himself and took a deep breath before walking through the small, dingy hall way and behind the bar. He did a double take as his eyes landed on the patron sitting at the very end of the bar, his eyes flitting over the screen of his phone distractedly; Newt.  
  
“I’ve been told that I’ve been requested”, Gally said, leaning against the bar with his elbows, an eyebrow raised questioningly.  
  
Newt’s eyes snapped up to meet his instantly, a playful smirk inching up his cheeks. “You’ve been informed correctly, then”, he replied, sliding his phone into his pocket. “I’ve heard from reliable sources that you’re the best at what you do.”  
  
Gally scoffed, rolling his eyes. “I’m not even going to ask where you got that information from. What I do isn’t particularly difficult.”  
  
“I wouldn’t say that’s true”, Newt retorted. “You don’t give yourself nearly enough credit.”  
  
“You don’t even know me, or know anything about me. How could you possibly know that to be true?”, Gally asked.  
  
“Call it intuition”, New replied. “Are you going to make me a drink or not?”  
  
Gally stared at him intently, letting his eyes carefully scan Newt’s face, taking in all of the details already etched into his memory. “If you tell me how you found me, and why.”  
  
Newt only smiled and nodded his head, “Fair enough.”  
  
One drink quickly turned into two and then three, Newt’s laughter flowing easily as their conversation carried on with no signs of stopping. Gally decided immediately that he enjoyed the sound of Newt’s laughter; he wasn’t quite sure if he was ready to admit that he was fond of his company and actually wanted to have him around, no matter how true it was.  
  
Before either of them realized what was happening, Minho was joining him behind bar, reminding him with a surprised expression that it was time for last call and that they would have to get to closing up soon.  
  
Gally cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck subconsciously. “Right, of course.”  
  
“It was nice to actually get to chat with you, I knew that I could get you talking”, Newt admitted.  
  
“You still haven’t told me why you’re here”, Gally replied.  
  
“It isn’t often I meet someone I find interesting who isn’t wanting to be seen with me for my status in the industry. I enjoy your company, and I know, begrudgingly, that you enjoy mine”, Newt answered, fishing out his wallet and paying up his tab. “I’ll see you around, Gally.”  
  
He offered a small smile, nodding in Minho’s direction before walking out of the bar.  
  
“It all makes sense now”, Minho said.  
  
“What are talking about?”, Gally asked, his eyes still on the now empty doorway.  
  
“You’ve been pining over this guy for week, how did I not see this?”, Minho said to himself more than to Gally.  
  
“That’s absolutely ridiculous Minho, I don’t pine over people”, Gally scoffed.  
  
Minho smirked, shaking his head fondly. “I can’t believe I didn’t figure this out earlier”, he continued, ignoring what Gally had said completely. “I feel like he’s going to be good for you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile like that, ever- usually you just kind of grimace at people.”  
  
Gally threw dishrag at his head.  
  
~  
  
Over the next few weeks, Newt frequented the bar regularly, much to Minho’s excitement and Gally’s fabricated dismay. Minho had known Gally longer than anyone and he hadn’t seen the man without tension woven between his shoulders and lingering in his posture.  
  
“You should just ask him out y’know, he’s clearly interested”, Minho suggested as they were clearing out the dishes at the end of the day.  
  
“You know that I can’t do that- it would be a disaster”, Gally replied, not taking his eyes away from his work.  
  
“So you are willing to admit that you’re into him, then?”, Minho asked, biting down a smile.  
  
“I don’t think that I can pretend anymore that I’m not”, Gally admitted quietly.  
  
“You know there’s nothing wrong with that”, Minho replied. “Letting yourself actually want something- or in this case someone.”  
  
“I know… but I just, I know I won’t be any good for him. He’s too good for me in a lot of ways”, Gally revealed. The thought had been bothering him for weeks now, and it felt good to actually talk about it.  
  
“Listen Gally, I know you’ve made mistakes, and you’re not really happy with where you’re at right now- but that definitely does not mean that you’re not good enough for him.”  
  
“I appreciate the pep talk Minho, but I just- I don’t think it’s a good idea”, Gally replied.  
  
Minho nodded, still not looking completely convinced. “Whatever you decide to do, I’m here for you.”  
  
Gally nodded his thanks and they returned to cleaning up the bar in companionable silence.  
  
~  
  
The next day, Newt showed up at the bar at around 6pm, which was a bit early for him, but Gally wasn’t going to question it.  
  
“The usual, I presume?”, Gally asked, already reaching for a glass.  
  
“No, actually. I wanted to stop by and see if you were free tonight after your shift”, Newt replied, biting his lip in what seemed to be a nervous gesture.  
  
“Uhm… I don’t-“  
  
“He’s not busy at all! In fact, neither are we, so he’ll be getting off early tonight- around nine, if that works for you”, Minho interjected.  
  
Newt smiled, flickering his gaze between the two of them. “That’s perfect, actually. I’ll see you at nine then?”, Newt asked, turning his attention fully back to Gally.  
  
“Uh, yeah? Yes, nine o’clock then”, Gally replied.  
  
“Great! I’ll see you in a few hours”, and as quickly as he had come, he was gone.  
  
“I hate you, a lot”, Gally said, turning to look at Minho.  
  
“Love you too Gally”, Minho replied. He had learned how to read Gally a long time ago, and Gally had never actually hated him.  
  
The next few hours passed a lot quicker than Gally was prepared for, and soon he was, yet again, being shoved out the door by Minho. He wanted so badly to be angry and frustrated about the whole situation, but as soon as he sees Newt standing there waiting for him with that infuriating self-satisfied smirk on his face and the naturally playful glint in his eyes, Gally’s resolve melts instantly.  
  
Newt already made reservations for them at a restaurant downtown that Gally had never been able to afford to even step inside of.  
  
They were seated at a table immediately, despite the queue out the door and around the building- even for people with reservations. Gally decided to refrain from commenting.  
  
“So”, Gally began, clearing his throat as he scanned the menu in his hands. “What have you been up to since the convention?”  
  
“Well, I’ve had a few photo shoots locally, but I’m planning on flying back out to London for a while to work on some campaigns out there in the upcoming weeks”, Newt replied, glancing at him from behind his menu.  
  
“Oh, getting all international are we?”, Gally asked, smirking at his menu, belatedly realizing the playful tone his voice had adopted without his permission.  
  
“Something like that”, Newt replied, equally as playfully. “What about you, I’ve seen you at the bar these past few weeks, but what does the future hold for you?”  
  
Gally’s smile faltered and he fell silent for a moment, trying to figure out how exactly to tell Newt that the bar was his future and probably always would be. What worried him the most was the prospect of Newt completely rejecting him when he found out that Gally didn’t really have a promising future.  
  
“I don’t really have plans for the future”, Gally shrugged, attempting to appear as uncaring as possible. “The bar treats me well, and I get by just fine.”  
  
He could feel Newt’s eyes burning into him as he refused to tear his eyes away from the menu in front of him.  
  
“That’s really all you want to do with your life?”, Newt asked, curiosity in place of the judgment and disappointment Gally was used to hearing. “I mean, if it really does make you happy, then good on you mate, but… I don’t know, I just feel like there’s something you’re hiding in there that would make you happier than you seem to be most of the time.”  
  
Gally was overwhelmed by how irritated he didn’t feel- he was so used to people looking at him and what he did and being disgusted with the prospect of doing “so little” with his life, with wasting so much potential.  
  
“I’m… I’m content, but not happy. The luxury of being able to do things that make me happy isn’t something I’ve ever been afforded”, Gally replied carefully, already baring more of himself than he ever did- even with a sentence as cryptic as that one.  
  
“I’m very sorry to hear that. Everyone should be afforded that luxury… and I know that a lot of the time circumstances just don’t allow for it… but you seem like the type of person who won’t just accept that, y’know? Like you’d just tell the world to go fuck off and do it anyway- maybe I’m just being a bit too forward or presumptuous though”, Newt replied, seemingly more nervous than he had been a moment ago, like he was going to scare Gally off by saying the wrong thing.  
  
Gally felt like he had been nailed in the chest with a brick as Newt’s words sunk in; …but you seem like the type of person who won’t just accept that, y’know? Like you’d just tell the world to go fuck off and do it anyway. That sounded like something Minho would say to him- something he has said to him in one way or another before, and the reality of the situation and the weight of the words in this particular context was something Gally had actively tried to avoid dealing with.  
  
“That does sound a lot like me. No wonder Minho was so pushy to get me to go with you tonight, you two would get on well which would be very dangerous for me and my reputation”, Gally eventually replied.  
  
Newt relaxed visibly, knowing he hadn’t upset Gally with his observations. “Good, your reputation could use a bit of…updating? It doesn’t precede you very well.”  
  
“I guess we’ll just have to fix that then”, Gally said, raising an eyebrow as if inviting a challenge. Newt seemed more than eager to accept it.  
  
~  
  
“Woah woah woah, hold on, you what?”, Minho all but exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief.  
  
“I- I realized that he was right when he said that I’m the type of person who shouldn’t just be lying back and excepting my circumstances, which is also when I realized that he’s far too good for me. I mean, this was our first date and he’s already inspiring me into wanting to be a better version of myself. I can’t let him waste his time trying to fix what I’ve been avoiding fixing my whole life”, Gally ranted, pacing across the room.  
  
“So because he makes you want to be a better person and actually do something with your life, and would probably actually want to help you through all of it, you’re not going to see him again?”, Minho clarified, “because if that’s what you’re trying to tell me, that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard in my life, and coming from someone who spends all of his time with you that’s saying a lot.”  
  
Rubbing his hands over his face, Gally groaned in frustration. “You know how fucked up I am, Minho. This guy- he’s so- so put together and happy and lives this fucking exciting amazing life… I just don’t understand how I would fit into it at all without being some sort of, I don’t know… parasite or something.”  
  
Minho just stared at him for a few minutes, not saying anything at all. Gally waited for him to break the silence, knowing that eventually he would.  
  
“I will honestly never understand why you don’t think you deserve to be surrounded by people who care about you- who want to be around you just because you’re you, and I’ve never tried to push it… but I think- no, I know, that if you let yourself push him away until he leaves you’re going to regret it, and I really, really don’t want to watch you tear yourself apart like that anymore.”  
  
“It’s not going to be easy”, Gally conceded. “I’m not just- I won’t be able to completely let him in right away and just-“  
  
“I know”, Minho cut in, “but the fact that you’re even willing to try shows how much progress you’ve already made and I’m proud of you.”  
  
“Thank you, Minho. For everything. I know that I don’t say it ever, really, and I-“  
  
Minho stood from the couch, pulling Gally into a crushing hug, and no more words were needed.  
  
~  
  
The next few months seemed to pass by in a complete blur- Newt traveled here and there for work every few weeks or so, the rest of his time spent at the bar with Gally and Minho or dragging Gally all around town to his favorite spots, whether it was some posh restaurant Gally would have never even stepped foot in otherwise, or the best cliffs to watch the sun rise and set off of- it was a way of experiencing life that Gally hadn’t been interested in before, and now he wasn’t sure what he would do without it.  
  
“So, I have some news for you”, Gally said, fiddling with glass in hands as Newt sat on the floor, sorting out the headshots he wanted to add to his resume.  
  
“Oh?”, Newt responded, pausing briefly to look up at him. “And what would that be?”  
  
“I sent in my applications to Columbia a few months ago, and I’ve just gotten a letter back saying I’ve been accepted”, Gally revealed, unable to contain the smile that lit up his entire face. “I’m going back to finish school.”  
  
Newt immediately jumped up, an equally bright grin blooming onto his face. “Gally, that’s brilliant! I’m so happy for you, oh my god!”  
  
A startled laugh spilled from Gally’s throat as the smaller man threw himself into his arms, kissing him fiercely, pulling him in close until there was no space between their bodies. Gally responded by gripping Newt’s hip tightly, cupping the back of his head with the other hand. They were both breathing heavily as they reluctantly separated to allow air back into their lungs.  
  
“I’m so glad you’re finally willing to do something for yourself- something you know is going to make you happy”, Newt said, still smiling.  
  
“You make me happy”, Gally replied. If he had even thought about saying anything as romantic and cliché as that to anyone, he probably would’ve knocked himself out, but now the words just seemed to come easily.  
  
Newt’s smile grew impossibly larger. “I’ve very, very relieved to hear you say that, because you make me happy too.”  
  
Gally’s expression suddenly turned very serious and Newt tilted his head, sending him a questioning glance. He was just about to ask if Gally was okay- what had changed his mood so suddenly, when-  
  
“I love you.”  
  
Newt knew that the shock was written all over his face. He had fallen in love with Gally some time ago, and it was obvious that Gally cared a lot about him, but he didn’t know if Gally would ever feel quite that strongly in return, or that if he did he would ever actually want to, or be able to say those words.  
  
“I love you too”, Newt admitted quietly.  
  
It was the first of many times they would say those three words to each other in the months to come, and for the duration of their relationship.  
  
They spent the rest of the evening stealing soft kisses, picking out Newt’s final headshots and going over everything Gally would need to start classes in the coming weeks.  
  
~  
  
By the start of first term, Gally was well situated into his new apartment with Newt a few miles from campus. He was still working at the bar part time with Minho- that was a part of himself he wasn’t quite willing to give up, at least not until something of a higher pay grade was offered to him after he obtained his degree.  
  
Both Minho and Newt were extremely supportive, helping him with homework and projects when he needed it, dealing with his frustrations and insecurities as they came and went in waves, basking in his good days and his bright smile that was around more often than not- collectively, they were his rock, and he couldn’t remember a time in his life that he had ever been this happy.  
  
…which of course, is when everything completely fell apart.  
  
Minho was working his shift at the bar and Newt and Gally were there as patrons, drinking and celebrating Gally’s near perfect marks on his final exams for second term, debating on where to go after Minho’s shift to celebrate properly.  
  
The door to the bar burst open, catching everyone’s attention instantly. A tall, bulky man clad in all black with his face obscured by a makeshift ski-mask stalked in, lifting his arm and holding a gun out in front of him. “Nobody fucking move!”  
  
Gally tensed immediately, his hand finding Newt’s and lacing their fingers together.  
  
The man walked over to the bar in measured, determined steps, holding the gun inches away from Minho’s face. “Give me the cash, all of it!”  
  
In his peripheral vision, Gally could see Minho calmly opening the register and gathering all of the money inside. He handed it to the man without hesitation, and the man accepted it, shoving it into the bag hanging from his shoulder. Gally winced and he heard Newt gasp as he swung the gun around, knocking Minho out cold, falling to the floor behind the bar.  
  
The man’s eyes darted to Newt and he walked over slowly. “You’re a pretty one, aren’t you? Some kind of poster boy model or something?”  
  
Newt nodded hesitantly, unsure of whether or not he was actually supposed to answer. The man barked out a loud cackle, shaking his head in what seemed to be amusement. “Of course you are.”  
  
Newt yelped in surprise as the man grabbed his arm, yanking him to his feet.  
  
“Hey! Don’t you dare touch him!”, Gally warned, jumping to his feet.  
  
“So this one’s yours then? Figures. Don’t worry, I’m just going to have a little bit of fun with him.”  
  
“Like hell you are!”, Gally shouted, becoming angrier by the second.  
  
“Come any closer and I’ll shoot you right in the head”, the man threatened.  
  
“Gally, it’ll be alright, just listen to him”, Newt pleaded. He knew Gally would do anything to protect him, even something stupid to get himself hurt.  
  
Gally nodded, not pleased about having to back down.  
  
“I wish I had more time with you”, the man whispered to Newt. “So many possibilities”, he mused, stroking his cheek softly. The man sighed, “It’s such a waste really, but what has to be done has to be done.”  
  
The man lifted the gun, sticking it against Newt’s back and pulled the trigger.  
  
Gally heard himself scream and launched himself forward to catch Newt as he began falling to the floor. Chaos erupted around him as the man exited the bar, but his focus was on the man he loved laying with his head in his lap, blinking up at him sluggishly.  
  
“Newt, Newt you have to stay with me!”, Gally pleaded, running one hand through Newt’s hair soothingly, using the other to apply pressure to the wound. “You’re going to be alright, everything is going to be fine.”  
  
He could feel the tears sliding down his cheeks, blurring his vision around the edges. His heart was beating frantically in his chest as panic began to seize him.  
  
“Hey hey now, calm down. It’s alright”, Newt spoke, so quiet it was nearly a whisper. “I need you to promise me that you aren’t going to give up, alright? You’ve got so much potential and you’ve already come so far.”  
  
“Of course I will, with you by my side you know I’ll never give up”, Gally promised.  
  
Newt looked up at him fondly, a sympathetic gleam in his eyes. “I don’t think I’m going to be by your side, I’m afraid… but I’ll always be with you, as long as you don’t forget me.”  
  
Gally felt a sob tear itself from his throat and he gently pulled Newt closer. Newt cupped his cheek weakly, staring into his eyes with an intensity Gally had never experienced from anyone else. “I love you Gally. Always remember that.”  
  
“I love you too Newt, and I always will”, Gally replied.  
  
Newt pulled him into a kiss, putting as much passion into it as he could muster with the small bit of energy and life he had left in his body. Suddenly, Gally felt Newt go limp in his arms, the light completely gone from his eyes when he pulled away to look. He gently closed Newt’s eyes for him, refusing to let the body be taken from his arms until law enforcement arrived and nearly had to pry it from him.  
  
He allowed an officer to drive him to the hospital, where Minho and Newt’s body were being taken.  
  
Finding a scrap piece of paper from the nurse’s station, he left Minho a quick note, explaining that he wouldn’t- couldn’t- come back. He knew it wasn’t fair to just leave Minho without actually telling him, or saying goodbye, but if he stayed until Minho was awake, he would just convince him to stay.  
  
Slipping the note into Minho’s room, he took one last look at his best friend and quietly left the hospital, reminding himself with each step he took that it was better not to look back.  
  
He found himself back at the apartment he had shared with Newt, standing at the door, unable to make himself walk inside, where they had been sharing celebratory kisses only a few hours earlier. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and passed through the hallway, stopping when he reached the living room. All of Newt’s headshots were sprawled across the coffee table, his favorite mug sitting on the corner.  
  
Gally walked into the kitchen, pulling a full bottle of Jack Daniels out of the cupboard and sitting on the couch. He gently picked up a stack of pictures from the table in front of him, feeling his heart shattering into smaller and smaller pieces with each one that passed through his fingers.  
  
His hands began to tremble and he threw them across the room, bolting up from his sitting position and flipping the table over with a loud crash. He wanted to tear apart and destroy everything in the apartment- everything in the city that reminded him of Newt and the impact that the man had on his life. It hit him square in the chest, knowing that no matter how many things he destroyed, he would always have his memories of Newt to haunt him, and there was nothing he could do about it.  
  
Gally had intended to come back to the apartment only to grab what he needed and then be off, but now that he had come back, he couldn’t quite convince himself to leave.  
  
He jolted away the next morning to the sound of a door banging open, memories of the night before flooding his mind instantly, mingling with the pounding headache he had from drinking himself into unconsciousness the previous night.  
  
“Oh thank god.”  
  
He heard as he sat up. Once he was able to force his vision into focus, he could see Minho standing a few feet in front of him, a bandage still wrapped around his head. “I didn’t know whether or not you actually left, and how I would ever be able to find you to make sure that you were alright, and I just-“  
  
He ran over and pulled Gally into a crushing hug, which Gally sluggishly returned.  
  
“I was going to leave last night, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it”, Gally admitted.  
  
“I’m glad that you didn’t”, Minho replied. “We’re going to get through this, together. I’m not going to let you waste yourself again- not now that I’ve seen the side of you that he brought out.”  
  
Gally just nodded numbly, not wanting to even think about having that conversation.  
  
There was no way he was going to go back to Columbia, or visit the spots they used to watch the sun rise and set together at, or eat at any of their favorite places… He wasn’t going to be able to carry on the way he wanted to- the way he was capable of when Newt was around, and that made falling into a spiraling depression much easier.  
  
He worked his old shifts at the bar, occasionally allowed Minho to take him somewhere to grab a drink or a bite to eat, and moved back into his old apartment. The only new addition were the pictures of Newt he kept in his desk drawer, where he would pull them out when he drank himself to sleep each night.


End file.
